Snorkel & SCUBA Locations, Outer Great Barrier Reef

Cairns' Outer Reefs EVERYDAY

We have 17 permanent moorings on the Outer Barrier Reef (including Norman, Hastings and Saxon reefs) that ensure minimal damage to the pristine coral formations. Our dive sites are frequented by myriads of tropical fish and include the ever popular large Maori Wrasse, who are always diver friendly. The swim through, wall and drift dives will appeal to every level of diver experience.

Please note: The skipper of the vessel chooses the dive sites on a daily basis. Normally weather conditions, dive site conditions, and passenger comfort are the most important factors.

Norman Reef

Saxon Reef

Hastings Reef

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Bob's Bommie

​Wild Side Clipper

Shark Mountain

​Plate Top

Turtle Bay

​Playground

Wild Side East, and West

Clipper & Supercat​

Troppo's

​Sandra's

​Caves

With its beautiful pink soft coral and lots of smaller multi coloured table coral amongst an abundance of all other coral types this is the perfect example for Great Barrier Reef Diving.

Nestled on the south side of Norman Reef this dive site provides a terraced area with massive cabbage coral and beautiful staggered table corals. This site is also a popular feeding ground for turtles.

Very versatile dive for beginners as well as more experienced divers who want to circle the entire shark-shaped Bommie. You can spot a small wreck in a depth of approx. 10m hidden on the northern wall. Extremely large starfish and lots of grey reef sharks.

This is a real conglomeration for all sort of reef fish: Anthias, Yellowtail Barracudas, Anemone fish, Gobys , Sweet Lips, Trevallies and Coral Trout just to name a few and on low tide they all gather in one spot on the plates northern corner. Amazing!

​As the name implies, this is the green sea turtle’s favourite feeding ground. Species up to 1.5 m have been spotted! Plus Anemone Shrimp, Hairy Spider Crabs, Blennies and many more.

​Sheltered by a ledge this is our preferred overnight mooring place. During the night dive you’re able to “hang out” on the mooring lines and watch reef sharks cruising around, our local resident Queensland Grouper and sometimes even Eagle Rays chasing their prey in the beam of the boats bright lights.

​These two neighbouring dive sites are separated by a tongue of reef and can easily be combined into one long dive. WSW shows big lunar corals and a variety of anemone fish whereas WSE is a large bowl with rare star sand. During spring season lots of juvenile Harlequin Sweet lips cavort through the stag horn corals.

Two sites next to each other that can easily be dived as one. Both featuring a swim through for the more experienced diver and a shallower canyon easily manageable even for beginners. Parrot fish, angelfish, and surgeon fish – you name it!

This is a true romping place for a multitude of nudibranches and pipefish. Razorfish are spotted digging themselves into the sand and for the more experienced diver you can follow the reef wall around the northern edge to deeper areas. The shallow mooring bay is perfect for exploration by the novice diver as well as snorkellers.

Various bowls embedded in the reef terraces featuring beautiful coral covered bommies amidst white sand and hundreds of damselfish frolicking around. If you’re lucky you will encounter a big school of humphead parrot fish often seen cruising this area.

Amongst a big variety of anemone fish, blue spotted stingrays, cardinal fish this dive site also offers a little cave for the more experienced diver. You can often find yellow or blue devil fish along the cave’s roof. The resident Giant Maori Wrasse named “Wally” often comes in close to say hello.

Sandra's

Twin Peaks

Clipper & SuperCat

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Coral Garden

Reef Magic​

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Shallow Reef dive, lots of various types of anemone fish. White tipped reef sharks can be watched sleeping during daytime and schools of yellow fin Barracuda. The rare fire flame shell is also spotted there. Perfect also for snorkeling.

Unusually varied dive site circling two bommies with a narrow swim through. Schools of wild band fusiliers and humbug damsels and lots of different nudibranches!

From the boat moored close to the reef you can dive along the reef wall and smaller offshore bommies displaying different types of anemone fish. Bottlenose dolphins are spotted occasionally during the colder months as well as the notorious Titan Triggerfish, the largest species of triggerfish.

Diving amongst Garden Eels you can spot beautiful Anthias and Spinecheek Anemone fish. This place is also a popular for snorkeling as you can swim just on top of the coral and watch closely e.g. gobies and lots of smaller soft corals.

Depending on the current, this dive site offers the possibility of a challenging dive around the reef edge to untouched areas displaying humpback snappers, giant trevallies and wild band fusiliers. Schools of Moorish Idols and even paddle tail snappers can be spotted in the shallow areas on the inner side of this reef site.

Tustar

Turtle Bommie

​​Jorgie's Patch

Located on the northern edge of Hastings Reef both dive sites are quite shallow dives displaying an impressive clam garden and stag horn corals. Great for snorkeling as you can float just on top of the reef watching sweet lips, trumpet fish and impressive parrot fish.​A cluster of smaller bommies dropping off real deep to the north offering bat fish, stone fish (if you can spot them), anthias, fusiliers and, of course, turtles! Also lots of smaller table corals, sea fans and whip corals.

​Situated in the Trinity Opening this dive site can be approached only on very calm weather. But because of this it’s pristine. Lots of finger coral, anemones, scorpion fish, big school of bat-fish and fusiliers, barracudas and anemone fish.